Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Fresh Blueberry Cake #WeekdaySupper

This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing Company in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.Fresh Blueberry Cake is one of the many cake creations in the cookbook Cake Magic!by Caroline Wright. Fresh blueberries, sweet vanilla syrup, and a fabulous cream cheese frosting make this cake an irresistible choice for any occasion!

I was recently given the opportunity through #WeekdaySupper and Workman Publishers to review the cookbook, Cake Magic!by Caroline Wright. This cookbook is not your ordinary cookbook. It is a highly-visual cookbook full of what Caroline calls "equations" that you can mix and match to "choose your own adventure" when baking your cakes. Her simple five-ingredient cake batter recipe (the foundation of each cake) is transformed into 100 different variations in the book. And you don't need to stop there, because you can mix and match your way to endless combinations! It's magical!

Besides the beautiful photos, well-written recipes, and use of common ingredients, you will find variations in the recipes to make all of the cakes gluten-free or vegan! So this book truly offers something for everyone! Another notable feature of this cookbook is that each working section; Cake recipes, syrup recipes, and frosting recipes is color coded and has a nifty ribbon bookmark with corresponding colors to mark your place. Go to the bottom of this post for a chance to win a copy of this book for yourself!

My personal experience with Cake Magic!

I wanted to create some everyday magic for my family, so I opted to make this lovely Fresh Blueberry Cake bathed in vanilla syrup and topped with cream cheese frosting from the book.

If you are a fan of blueberries, this cake is for you! It's easy to make and super moist, thanks to the fresh blueberries and vanilla syrup. It's like a giant blueberry muffin, but in cake form.

Blueberries have been outstanding this summer. My local stores have been carrying berries from Michigan and they are super sweet and juicy. They were the perfect addition to this flavorful cake!

Fresh blueberry cake exceeded my expectations. It really turned out beautifully. My family agreed it was a spectacular cake. One that is special occasion worthy and one that is equally fit for a sweet ending to an everyday meal! It really does make a great ending to any weekday supper!

Fresh Blueberry Cake

By Renee's Kitchen AdventuresRecipe used with permission from Workman Publishing Company

Fresh blueberries and a homemade vanilla syrup make this cake outstandingly moist and delicious!
Makes one 8 or 9-­inch two layer cake (or one 10­-inch bundt cake, one 13x9­-inch sheet cake, or
24 cupcakes)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two round 9" layer pans. Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out excess.

To make cake: Whisk together the CAKE MAGIC! CAKE MIX and 1 tsp. baking powder. Stir in yogurt, oil, water, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain. (Be careful not to over mix.) Stir in the pureed blueberries. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

Bake until the layers are evenly golden on top and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 40 - 45 minutes. (You can make vanilla syrup while cakes bake.)

To make vanilla syrup: Combine 1/2 cup granulated, 1/2 cup water and pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat bringing to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in vanilla and remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Use the syrup warm or let it stand, covered, until it reaches room temperature. Vanilla syrup will keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat before using.

Remove the cakes from the oven and pierce in one inch intervals the top of the cakes with a skewer or knife. Pour or generously brush the vanilla syrup over the hot layers, dividing it as evenly as you can. Transfer the soaked layers (while still in their pans) to a wire rack to cool completely. When they are cooled and no longer wet to touch, one or two hours, carefully turn them out of their pans and assemble and frost.

To make cream cheese frosting: Combine the butter, cream cheese, salt and 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together well to combine. Whisk the mix again before measuring.

Note: It's important to use table salt in the cake mix; other types will eventually settle out of the mix.

**From page 126 in the book: "These recipes call for full-fat, plain yogurt. If you don't have any around, an equal amount of wither buttermilk or sour cream will work just fine. Strained yogurt, like Greek-style, is another decent substitute--just thin with a bit of milk or water to approximate the consistency of regular yogurt"

Cake Magic! Giveaway!

Want to get your hands on this book and give your own friends and family a little taste of some magic? Enter via rafflcopter below for your chance to win your very own copy courtesy of Sunday Supper Movement and Workman Publishing Company! (Rules and terms of giveaway stated in rafflecopter widget below.)

I cannot wait to try this awesome cake. I tried entering the contest but got confused, oh well i will just go on a search for this cookbook. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, now i am hoping i can print it :-)

Hi Mary! thank you so much for your comment. If you go to the rafflecopter box and log in with your email or fb account it will open. By providing your information, we will have the information we need to send you the book, should you win. Then all you need to do is go down the box and click on the options to answer the questions. I hope this helps!

I'm a big fan of blueberries. I think I eat some just about every day, and now I want to save some to make this cake! Love the frosting as well. What a great cookbook. I bet all the photos with the variations of cakes are so pretty!